Debt free

I often find myself thinking about what someone’s financial profile might be based on certain little facts.  Okay so maybe I have been watching a little too much of the show Criminal Minds, but I have started to think I can come up with a financial profile for everyone.  Haha!

Trust me, I am not an expert, but I could take a shot at it for fun, right? Below I have tried to come up with a profile for the good and the bad.  Could I work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit as a profiler or  should I just stick with my passion?  I’ll let you be the judge of that.  If anything you will be entertained and we can still call it a good day! 

So what is your financial profile?

The Good

• retired, wealthy, and having fun - A hard-working saver. A  good planner with solid financial decisions.  Someone who decided to get the hard part over first rather than second.  A person who knew the value of a dollar and spent frugally, while building wealth slowly along the way.
• wealthy and very generous – A self-made and hard-working debt free individual, full of integrity, whose not flashy, enjoys a challenge, and thinks frugality is a lost value.  This person is very generous and gives freely without complaining.
• well-off and generous – A frugal spender and generous giver, who has a great income with a cozy savings and retirement fund in place.  Someone who worked hard to build their assets and appreciates what they have.
• comfortable, generous, and stable – Hardworking but possibly wasteful at times in the spending department.  Comfort is dangerous as it often leads to complacency.  This person could be debt free and in the middle of their journey to financial peace, or quite the opposite, and pops credit like Tylenol.  Probably a mild to moderate saver, with plenty of potential.*** (I would place myself in this profile,except that I shred credit cards with LOVE.)
• poor, but resolute, and very generous – A frugal, hard-working individual with dreams, goals, and aspirations bigger than most.  Someone who takes things as they come and deals with them best as possible, but then moves on to work even harder in order to win.  Someone who gives even though they have very little to offer.  Most likely had excellent parental involvement growing up.  (this type of person helped build America!)
• teenager with savings – A very bright young mind who likely had some early financial coaching from mom and dad about how to avoid debt and save for the finer things in life.  Well-grounded and not even a free shirt can trip her up.
• physically disabled entrepreneur – Someone who took “making lemonade” to a whole new level when life handed them lemons.  A very strong minded individual that rarely wobbles under pressure.  Not because they always succeed, but because they know they can.  They may be obsessed with rising above their handicap to prove they can.
• in transition to financial responsibility – Someone who decided enough was enough.  Open-minded, yet cautious but willing to try something different in order to gain control.  Just making it to this place in life says a lot about this person, since most people continue to float along oblivious of their talents, abilities, or the need to change.  This person recognizes that extra effort and new habits are needed to change direction.

The Bad

• retired on a fixed income – Either heavily tanked in the market, experienced very high medical costs, relied on social security for retirement or any combination of the three. (many other factors could have played a role…a tough one to profile.)
• wealthy but greedy turd – A business owner with limited people skills.  This person is opportunistic, extremely selfish, and possibly a trust fund baby.  Totally disconnected from the needs of others.  (Possible nicknames: Scrooge McSuck)
• well-off but broke – A hard-working individual with a great income but no sense of purpose.  Infested with credit cards and loans, and has an obvious lack of appreciation for the fruits of their labor.  Might lease their car instead of buying since they trade in so frequently.  Not stingy, but unable to give at all.  Material possessions rule the day while delaying gratification never comes to mind. (been there!)
• comfortably broke and bitter – Not a huge income-earner, but enough to squeeze by.  Multiple credit cards, pay day loans, car payments, lottery enthusiast, bloated mortgage, overdraft fees, interest payments and any form of debt is considered not only normal but the only way to survive.  All of their income is spent on stuff before the check is ever cut.  Likely has accepted the way things are and sees no reason to try something different. (been there!)
• poor loathing victim -The lowest of the low.  Carries pent up resentment for those with anything more than himself.  Believes nothing can be done to change their circumstances and waits with open hands for others to give him what he feels he already deserves.  Typically very negative in demeanor about any topic of discussion no matter what.  He always sees the negative in everything. (yep, been there too!)
• teenager w/credit cards – A most horrifying and tragic fate filled with impulse shopping sprees, late fees and a “must build my credit score” mindset.  A train wreck waiting to happen.  Parents did not likely talk about money other than passing down the culture driven myths that showcase status not security.  Bankruptcy waiting to happen, on the bright side—they got a free hat! 
• physically disabled w/fixed income -Apart from those who truly cannot,  this person has accepted their situation for what it is, and truly believes that their disability in one area of life, restricts their ability in all areas of life.  Relies on disability and possible social security benefits to get through life.  Wants more but doesn’t believe they can and is overcome with fear. (I believe in you!)
• in transition to financial disaster – A trust fund baby, lottery winner, or pretty much anyone who has given up on themselves.  They likely did poor people stuff with their money and are finally reaping what they sowed.  Possible bankruptcy candidate.  Will either hit rock bottom and bounce back or stay down for good. (Get back up and do rich people stuff!  Don’t give up!)

The Ugly

No matter whether you find yourself on the good or the bad side of the spectrum, you can still experience ugly.

For the good – ugly follows complacency and arrogance. There’s nothing worse than successful arrogance from someone who thinks life could never cause them hardship or  disaster.  The blindness feeds denial, which halts any possible growth.  You are never too wealthy or too smart to lose everything.

For the bad – ugly is wanting more without the effort, expecting your situation to change without different behaviors and actions.  Ugly is the lack of personal responsibility and motivation, while continuing to believe something or someone else is standing in his way.  Just maybe that someone is himself.

The questions we should be constantly asking ourselves—regardless of our profile.

• How can I do better?
• How can I serve others?
• How can I learn more?
• How can I give back?
• What’s my next goal?
• Am I doing enough?
• Am I prepared?

No matter who you are there is room for growth and development.  You can have it all, but still have nothing, as much as you can have nothing, and still have it all. (Maybe to some ALL is LESS.) Ultimately it is up to you to decide where your life ends up.  If you are physically disabled, learn everything you can about computers and do something you love.  Umm…start a blog!    If you’re living comfortably, but always feel broke—you might want to step it up a notch?  I believe there is always a way, we just have to find the door to the other side.

I am sure that this will come off as harsh to some, but I know more can be done because I used to have a bad financial profile. I used to blame others.  I used to expect life to just happen.  I used to believe there are just some that can’t get ahead.

I also used to believe that I needed a credit card to have anything, needed a car payment to own a car, needed student loans to go to school, and that debt was a tool to make people wealthy.  I eventually found out that I could be a debt free pizza driver, striving to earn a debt free degree, start a business, while helping every last person, with an ear drum or eye sight, to become debt free and better manage their money.

My life changed when I MADE it change!! As soon as I stopped pointing the finger, acting like everyone owed me something, and took action, MY LIFE CHANGED!  So can yours, but you have to really want it!

Wherever you are, you do not have to stay there!  Keep moving!

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